


Our love will light the way

by justanoutlaw



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Afterlife, Canon Compliant, Episode: s06e21-s06e22 The Final Battle, F/M, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-02-16 19:54:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18698095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw
Summary: Emma's sacrifice brings her into the arms of her lost love.





	Our love will light the way

**Author's Note:**

> @onceuponahappyending said: I have a headcanon that she has another one of those visions where she sees Neal after this [Gideon killing Emma] that we didn’t get to see.

**_I've been waitin' for so long_ **   
**_For somethin' to arrive_ **   
**_For love to come along_ **

**_Now our dreams are comin' true_ **   
**_Through the good times and the bad_ **   
**_Yeah I'll be standin' there by you_ **

**_And baby, you're all that I want_ **   
**_When you're lyin' here in my arms_ **   
**_I'm findin' it hard to believe_ **   
**_We're in heaven_ **

“I’m sorry, Emma,” Gideon harshly whispered. “I was hoping you’d save us both.”

 

Emma stood there, guilt filling her as the wind gushed around them. She couldn’t even focus on her family nearby. If she did, she’d start fighting again. That wasn’t the way, she was fated to die. Emma learned a long time ago that you couldn’t change your fate, you could only adjust the journey. She just wished that things could be different for Gideon. She had failed his older brother; she hadn’t been able to save him. Now, she wasn’t going to be able to save Gideon either.

 

No matter what, though, she knew that Gideon would be okay. He would overcome this. He had his parents, Rumpelstiltskin especially. They would find a way to get him through this, to help him see that just like her, he had no other choice. They’d help him find his way back to the light. Gideon would get his chance at a happy ending, she had to believe that with everything inside of her.

 

The thought brought a smile to her face, as she stared into his eyes, trying to relay her thoughts. She wondered if he could feel them, they both had such powerful magic.

 

With guilt written across his face, Gideon took a step forward and plunged the dagger into Emma’s stomach. There was an immense pain, but rather than blood, a large lightening bolt emerged. It felt as though her soul was being sucked from her body, little by little. She had been consumed by the darkness once before but this was much different. This felt easier, lighter. Slowly, the pain melted and she felt herself collapsing to the ground, as she took her final breath.

 

When Emma awoke, she was greeted by the smells of fried foods and cotton candy. There were bright lights and the sounds of a carnival played. She let out a deep breath as she looked around, it was the fairgrounds she would recognize anywhere, the very one that Neal had taken her to on their first date. It was empty, just as it had been that night, despite it clearly being operated.

 

“Emma.”

 

There was a voice she’d know anywhere. She turned and saw him, a smile forming across her face

 

“Neal,” she her voice came out soft, loving.

 

He looked just as he had before he died, if not better. Green jacket, buttoned up. Any wrinkles were gone, his brown eyes sparkled and he was smiling that smile that was probably the cause for Global Warming. Emma felt her knees go weak as she made her way to him, touching his face.

 

“This is the second time I’ve seen you in some kind of afterlife, are you telling me this is your happy place?”

“Every time I would think about safe after I left you, it was this fair, on those swings,” he gestured over to them. “Us on them together. I only wished there was food, so there’s that too.”

Emma couldn’t help but laugh, the tears welling up in her eyes. “I am just so happy to see you.”

“I wish I could say the same,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist. “But it’s too soon. You’re far too young.’

“All saviors die.”

“Everyone dies. Except my dad and maybe faeries, the rules are a bit weird there. What I mean is, it wasn’t your time.”

“According to fate it was.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in fate,” he half-teased, raising an eyebrow.

Emma shrugged. “I lied to you that day in the bar. Something good did come from us being together, something amazing.” She sniffled. “He has a girlfriend now, you know.”

Neal grinned once more. “Really?”

“Yeah and he used your move to get her.”

“Gotta love that kid.”

“I can’t believe you managed to teach him that.”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

“I suppose so.”

 

She stroked his cheek, not pulling away from his grasp. She could spend forever in his arms and it wouldn’t be enough.

 

“If this is Heaven, I’m not complaining.”

“I told you, Emma, this isn’t your end. It’s not your time, not yet.”

“Neal, I died…”

“I think you know that doesn’t mean much where we’re from.”

A single tear fell down her cheek. “Except for you.”

“Every story ends, is that any reason not to enjoy it?”

 

Emma felt her breath catch. The smells of the fair food were fading, as were the rides. She clung tighter to Neal.

 

“I’m not ready yet,” she whispered. “I need more time with you.”

“You’ll see me again,” Neal said. “I promise. In the meantime, just live your life.”

 

He gently kissed her and she allowed herself to deepen it, her eyes closing once more. She soon drifted away from him, almost like she was falling from a cloud. As she collapsed, she could hear another familiar voice, her son’s voice.

 

“I love you.”


End file.
